The present invention is directed generally to circuit condition monitoring systems for power distribution systems, and mrre particularly to a connector component for such systems having a non-metallic test point integrally formed therein for receiving a circuit condition monitoring module.
In the operation of electrical power distribution systems it is frequently necessary to monitor circuit parameters such as current and voltage at a particular location to detect the occurrence of a fault current or loss of voltage at the location. To this end, distribution systems have been provided with test points at various locations by means of which monitoring devices such as fault indicators are capacitively coupled to conductors of the systems. Typically, such test points have been in the form of exposed metallic contacts imbedded in the housing of a system connector component, such as the elbow-type connectors typically used for connecting a system cable to the terminal of a system component, such as a transformer or relay, and illustrated, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,263,550 and 4,375,617 of the present inventor.
Various types of circuit condition indicating modules have been installed on such test points, including, for example, fault indicators as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,234,847, 4,438,403, 4,424,512 and 4,458,198 of the present inventor, and voltage indicators as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,152,643, 4,251,770, 4,550,288 and 4,641,220 of the present inventor.
One drawback of prior circuit condition monitoring system was the use of the metallic contact on the surface of the connector, which was perceived by some users as a shock hazard. One form of the monitoring system which provides a non-metallic test point in the form of a recessed socket which avoids the need for an exposed metallic contact is described in the copending application of the present inventor entitled "Circuit Condition Monitoring System", Ser. No. 062,875, filed June 16, 1987. The present invention is directed to an alternate form of non-metallic test point which is integrally formed on the surface of the system connector.